This is a very entertaining account of the famous rub-out in 1929 Chicago. Jason Robards is a decent Al Capone, and thankfully, doesn't try for an Italian accent. He also wields a mean baseball bat, thus having Capone's malice down but not his mass. Ralph Meeker plays Bugs Moran, leader of the rival Chicago gang. The cast is loaded with familiar faces and future stars, and it seems like somebody gets bumped off every ten minutes. Harold J. Stone plays Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti and almost, but not quite, convinces me he could be Italian. George Segal has a riotous brawling scene with Jean Hale after he finds out she spent three grand on a fur coat. Joan Shawlee has a bit as a "streetwalking entrepreneur," as we call it now. Jack Nicholson has one line, which he grunts out in a hoarse voice pre-Don Corleone. And you may even feel sorry for Bruce Dern in this film.The movie was directed by Roger Corman, and features some of his stock players, including Dick Miller as one of the hit men. Paul Frees supplies the narration, giving this a semi-documentary feel. But he is no Walter Winchell. Definitely worth a look.

I saw this movie when it was first released in the Sixties and I have seen it many times over the years. I still enjoy it with every viewing and I think it ranks in my top five all-time gangster movies. The St. Valentine Massacre screenplay was written by Howard Browne who was actually a young reporter in Chicago at the time the story unfolded. I found the Moran gang of Irish and German hoods more interesting than the Italian and Jewish mobsters of the Capone outfit. I have also found that the New York Irish gangsters like Owen Madden, Mad Dog Coll and Legs Diamond more fascinating than their Italian and Jewish counterparts like Benny Siegel, Frank Costello and company. The Irish were more like cowboys, rogues and desperadoes while the Italians and Jews were boring businessmen in suits.

If you're looking for a serious depiction of the infamous massacre and 1920s organized crime this isn't it (despite its semi- documentary style).Giving director Roger Corman his due, his forte was exploitation pictures. That's what this film is despite its higher budget and major studio status. One could say he was pushing the envelope by 1967 standards with its level of violence and depictions of prostitution.The slapstick comedic scene with George Segal and a scantily clad Jean Hale (her only scene) comes out of nowhere and has nothing to do with the unfolding narrative.There is a large ensemble of very capable performers including the smaller roles. This doesn't mean that all the actors are well cast or give good performances. Jason Robards, an otherwise fine actor, is totally out of his element as Capone. I think this partly explains his completely over the top performance that at times is unintentionally funny.The film is studio bound and has an artificial look and feel. There is little real character development and the frequent use of voice over narration is not cinematic. Some of the individual scenes and performances are worth viewing albeit sometimes for the wrong reasons.The film, when taken as a whole doesn't make the grade.

Helmed by low budget independent filmmaker Roger Corman, this was a pleasant surprise and perhaps the best directed film I've ever seen of his. Corman pulls no punches in delivering a brutal and action-packed account of organized crime war in the 1920s, centering on the friction between Al Capone and "Bugs" Moran, and ultimately leading up to the historical title climax. Featuring a good cast, including: George Segal, who's rarely better than he is here -- Ralph Meeker (Moran) --Corman's standby Dick Miller, Bruce Dern, and the intensified Jason Robards as Al Capone, in a part many feel he was miscast for. I thought Robards was a hoot, and a lot of fun in the part. One detriment for me was the frequent narration which began to get irritating, needlessly telling us the birthdate of every character on screen. ***1/2 out of ****